Dull Acrylics

 

David,

I have a question about acrylic paintings.  Even though I use artist quality acrylic, the painting loses its initial vitality after a while.  In oil painting you attribute this to the fact that oil is absorbed by the gesso and cotton canvas.  But do you know why it happens in acrylic and how it can be avoided?  I have found use of acrylic finishes unsatisfactory as it puts a misty layer on the painting.  Use of varnish is a little better but it still darkens the painting and makes the possibility of making changes to the painting, if need be, somewhat cumbersome.  Is there a better way?  

Tony,

I do have a couple of ideas.  Acrylic paints contain water which evaporates as they dry.  The water makes the paint look shinny and more transparent.  Once it is gone, the paint looks darker and a bit duller.  This is unavoidable.  Oils look the same after they dry, acrylics look less shinny and somewhat darker than when they are wet.  They also shrink, because of the loss of the water, and the edges soften. 

Using an acrylic GLOSS medium can compensate for the lack of shine.  Thinning your acrylic paints with water also makes them look duller as it washes away too much shinny acrylic binder and leaves the surface more bumpy; bumpy = dull.  Use the gloss medium instead to thin colors for transparent effects.  Do not use a matte medium as this is designed to make the paint look duller. 

 

Hi David,

I have been finishing my acrylic paintings with a watered-down gloss or matte polymer coat (or a mixture). I do it to have a uniform application of medium over the whole painting. Originally, when I used a thicker (less water) mixture I found what looks like large brush strokes appeared when viewing the painting at oblique angles. Can you tell me what was happening? By experiment, I found that a watered down mixture eliminates the problem.

I note your recommendation to use Golden MSA or Liquitex Soluvar and I will try them. Should they be watered down too?

Thanks, Charlie

Hey Charlie,

Acrylic polymer mediums can dry cloudy looking sometimes, especially the matte one.  Adding a bit of water does help as it allows for a more even application.  The mediums can quickly become sticky as they dry and this will cause the streaks in the brush strokes you refer to.  You must apply acrylic mediums quickly and with minimal brushing.  I not recommend using a matte medium for the isolation varnish because it is not as durable and will not protect the paint as well as the gloss medium.

Here is an excerpt from a Q&A I did on varnishing acrylics:

1.  Apply one or two coats of soft gel medium (gloss) mixed 1 part water to 2 parts soft gel medium.  Use a wide soft brush.  Allow to dry thoroughly (may take a couple of days).  You can also use Acrylic Gloss Medium but I find that the above mixture brushes on better and doesn’t foam or cloud up as easily.  Be sure to only use gloss mediums for this layer, matte mediums are not durable enough.  This layer is called the ISOLATION varnish because it ‘isolates’ the painting from coming into direct contact with the final picture varnish which can now be cleaned or even removed with a solvent without affecting your painting.  Acrylic paintings are sensitive to solvents.   

2.  Apply a coat of either the Golden MSA or Liquitex Soluvar with a soft brush.  You can mix gloss and matte in any combination.  I usually mix them 3-4 parts gloss to 1 part matte.  Read the instructions for the Golden MSA varnish as it needs to be diluted with a solvent (mineral spirits or turpentine).  Be sure to apply these varnishes in a well ventilated area.